This year during the season of Lent through Easter Sunday morning we are continue what we started during our Advent season, that is we are looking at some of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming Messiah, passages including His life, trials, suffering and crucifixion and finding the New Testament passages that confirm their fulfillment in our Savior, Christ Jesus. Today we continue with the prophecies of Jesus as a priest and in particular a priest like Melchizedek.
In Psalm 110 David, speaking by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, speaks of Jesus being a part of the greatest priesthood, that of Melchizedek, “The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek’” (Psalm 110:4). You may or may not remember that Melchizedek was the priest of Abraham. He was the priest through whom Abraham offered sacrifices to God after the successful rescue of Lot and his family in Genesis.
After God delivered the children of Israel from the bondage of slavery in Egypt He established the priesthood through the line of Moses’ brother Aaron who was from the tribe of Levi. Thus, the Old Testament priesthood was the priesthood of the Levites, but in particular through Aaron’s family of the tribe of Levi. Melchizedek was not from the line of the Levites, but was from a higher calling, that of God Himself.
The Old Testament was a priesthood of the law, especially the ceremonial laws, those laws of the sacrificial system which always and ultimately pointed to Jesus and His sacrifice of Himself for the sins of the people. Remembering that the price for sin, for human sin, was set in the Garden of Eden was death, that is human death for human sin, we understand that none of the animal or other sacrifices actually paid for human sin, they merely pointed to the one ultimate sacrifice of a human, of Jesus for our sins.
The writer of Hebrews speaks of Melchizedek when he writes, “where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:20). He goes on to explain, “5So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you’; 6as he says also in another place, ‘You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek’” (Hebrews 5:5-6). And finally he says, “15This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. 17For it is witnessed of him, ‘You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek’” (Hebrews 7:15-17).
Jesus was born as our prophet, priest and king, but unlike worldly prophets, priests and kings. The role of the priest in the Old Testament was to offer sacrifices. The people would bring their sacrificial offering to the priest who would prepare it and offer it on behalf of those who brought the sacrifice. The priest would take care of the normal operations of the temple. The priest would once a year offer the sacrifice in the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement. The priests were not allotted land as were the other tribes of Israel, but were supported by the offerings of the people. This priesthood was the earthly priesthood. The order of the priesthood of Melchizedek was a heavenly priesthood, one that would have no end, but would be a heavenly priesthood, the priesthood of God Himself.
As an earthly priest Jesus fulfilled the law, the ceremonial, moral, and civil law and He did so perfectly. What Adam and Eve could not do in the Garden of Eden, what all of Israel could not do in the promised land, what we today cannot do, be perfect, be obedient, be the people God would have us to be, Jesus did, perfectly. Jesus obeyed all the moral law of the Ten Commandments. Jesus obeyed all the civil laws, the laws governing the land. And Jesus obeyed all the ceremonial laws especially and including all the required sacrifices.
As our priest, Jesus fulfilled all righteousness, that is He never sinned. Of course, this requirement is why He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and why He had to be truly God in human flesh, because as humans we are conceived and born in sin and thus are unable to be righteous. As true God in human flesh Jesus was righteous for us, on our behalf, in our stead, as our substitute.
Jesus was born a priest of the line of Judah. As was promised, the Savior of the world would be born through the line of Judah, the fourth born son of Jacob, that is of Israel. Through the line of Judah the Savior was promised to be born. King David was from the line of Judah, born in Bethlehem. Jesus was from the line of David, born in Bethlehem.
Jesus is a priest of the Gospel, not of the law. He fulfilled the law, perfectly, as we said, but the law is His alien work as it is called. His usual work is the Gospel. His usual work is lavishing us with all the good gifts and blessings He has to give. His usual work is forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.
Thus, Jesus is the great High Priest even the greatest High Priest. His is not simply and earthly priesthood, but a heavenly priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. As to His earthly priesthood He did not come to offer other sacrifices, animal sacrifices, but He came to offer Himself, His life for our life, His life as the once and for all sacrifice for our sins. All the sacrifices of the Old Testament did nothing to pay for sin, they simply pointed to the one ultimate sacrifice of God in the flesh of Jesus for us, in our place, as our substitute. Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself was the once and for all sacrifice for all people, of all places, of all times. And His sacrifice was sufficient. It was enough. Just as through one man, Adam, sin entered the world, so through one Man, Jesus, forgiveness came into the world.
What does this mean? In the Old Testament, before the deliverance of the children of Israel and the creation of the earthly priesthood there was the heavenly priesthood of Melchizedek, the perfect priest from God.
The Old Testament priesthood was an earthly priesthood which had a beginning and for all intents and purposes has had an ending. The Old Testament priesthood may be compared to the ceremonial laws and the sacrificial system, that is its purpose was to point to the one ultimate priesthood and Priest, Jesus Himself.
Jesus, was born of the human line of Judah and King David. Jesus was and earthly priest, but also and more importantly a priest after the heavenly priesthood of Melchizedek. Jesus was the Great High Priest offering Himself as the once, for all sacrifice for all sin, for all people. His sacrifice of Himself fulfilled all that was necessary so that no other sacrifices need be made. The ceremonial law of the Old Testament has been fully fulfilled and completed in the one Man, the one person, Jesus. Full atonement for sin has been made. The price for sin, human life for human sin has been completely paid for by Jesus, His fully human life paying for the sins of all humans.
Indeed, Jesus fulfills all, the law and the prophecies. Having completed all that needs to be done, all that has been demanded by God, Jesus now gives all. After His perfect live, His suffering, death, resurrection and ascension He has sent His Holy Spirit who is with us today, who comes to us to give, strengthen and keep us in faith. The work of the Holy Spirit is that work of sanctification. And His work is done through the means God has given to do His work, namely His means of grace, God’s Holy word, Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution and His Holy Supper.
As we continue to prepare our hearts and minds during this Lenten season, so we continue to prepare ourselves as we are reminded of the events of Jesus’ life. As we are reminded of His living a perfect life, for us in our place, we are reminded that it is because of our sin that Jesus had to be perfect, that is that He had to do for us what we are unable to do for ourselves. But even more, we are also reminded of God’s great love for us. A love that, even knowing that He would have to give His life, created our world and us in the first place. Indeed, no greater love can one have for another than that He would lay down His life for us. Because of God’s great love for us Jesus lived for us, took our sins, died for us, rose and now He is seated at the right hand of the Father as the great High priest after the order of Melchizedek, watching over us, ruling over us and interceding for us. He continually sends His Holy Spirit to give to us and lavish us with all the gifts and blessings He has to give, most assuredly, forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. What else can we do except rejoice and proclaim, to Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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